Paralympics set to change attitudes to disability

The Olympic Park during preparations for the 2012 ParalympicsTimes photographer, Martin Fletcher

The Paralympics offer a once in a life time opportunity to change attitudes towards disability, campaigners have said, with record numbers expected to see the Games in the UK.

With only a fortnight to go until part two of the “greatest show on Earth”, organisers said that tickets for sporting events had sold out after a huge rush since the end of the Olympic Games.

“The momentum from the Olympics has got everyone really excited,” said Richard Hawkes, chief executive of Scope, the disability charity. “People are going to be seeing disabled people in a different way.”

As well as a greater appreciation of sporting achievement, he hopes that the Games will highlight the difficulties still facing disabled people, whether medal-winning Paralympians or otherwise. “We…